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Teens

The Benefits of Drinking Water

by Anna

WATER is the best thing you can drink. We all know this. But do you know some of the specifics as to why it’s better than soda, or even Gatorade? Here are a few details that might help make it all make sense:

Water is a great stress reducer! It will ease tension, give you more energy, slow your breathing, and reduce strain on your heart. When you’re dehydrated, the effects of stress are greatly increased. Drink water throughout the day and you won’t feel fuzzy in the brain, your headache and tense muscles will both ease up as well.

Yes, drinking water helps to reduce weight. When you’re dehydrated, your body is not working at maxim efficiency. But when you’re not dehydrated, your body is enhancing digestion and muscle function while you excercise, both of which help you loose more weight in a safe, natural way.

Water can help you stay healthy! Your mucous membranes help to keep germs and other nastiness out of your body. Keeping yourself hydrated keeps those membranes working like a well-oiled machine, and thus, keeping the nasties out of your body, such as a cold or flu. If you should get sick, drinking water will reduce the severity of your illness, getting you back on your feet a lot sooner than without.

Remember what I just said about keeping your mucous membranes in top working order? When you’re on an airplane you’re in close proximity to a lot of people and a lot of germs, along with dry air, making you more likely to get sick. But again, drinking water keeps those bugs at bay, even on an airplane.

Body temperature out of whack? Drink water! Drinking water on a cool day will bring your temperature up and drinking it on a warm day will cool you off. The hypothalamus in the brain is what helps your body to determine whether you should be sweating to get cool or shivering to stay warm, but it won’t work as well as it should if you’re dehydrated. Many people drink less water in the winter because they don’t think they need it. The truth is, you do. And it doesn’t matter what your age is, where you live, what the weather is, what you ate for breakfast, or whether or not you did your homework last night, dehydration affects everyone. So drink your water and keep your body at the perfect temperature it should be year round.

Are you thinking of giving blood any time soon? Drink two glasses of water right before you do and you’ll lower the chance of fainting afterward. The Red Cross wants you to have a good experience giving blood so that you’ll return again and again. But when people faint, they’re likely to call it a day and never return. So drink your water and visit the Red Cross the next time you get a chance.

Don’t you think those are more than enough reasons to drink water on a regular basis? Here are a few water drinking tips to help you keep it up:

When you’re flying, bring an empty bottle with you and refill it once you get past airport security. Make yourself the goal of finishing it before you land at your destination, and don’t hesitate to ask the flight attendant for refills while you’re in the air.

Start swapping out one soda, cup of coffee, or high-calorie hot chocolate a day with an equal amount of water. Carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go so you don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated. Of course, drink more when you’re physically active, whether in water, snow, or any weather condition.

Dehydration can occur at night while you’re sound asleep. Sure, you can’t do anything about it while it’s happening, but you can drink a glass of water when you get up every morning. By doing so, you’ll also give yourself a bit of an energy boost, and who doesn’t need that in the morning? If you are the type to wake up in the night, keep a bottle of water by your bedside or a cup next to the bathroom sink.

NOTE: If you do put a bottle of water by your bed every night, or carry one around with you during the day, invest in a reusable stainless steel water bottle. Why? Because it takes up to 1,000 YEARS for disposable plastic water bottles to decompose. Also, 38 billion water bottles end up in landfills every year; enough if laid end-to-end to circle the globe 150 times… EVERY YEAR!

Approximately 25% of bottled water is actually municipal water (ie tap water) that has been treated and packaged in disposable plastic bottles. Think about it, what makes that different than your own, much cheaper water, right out of the kitchen sink? Save money and the planet by using a reusable water bottle.

Stainless Steel is tough stuff. Unlike aluminum bottles, it resists denting to a higher level and thus, lasts that much longer. It’s also dishwasher safe, so you can be as lazy as you want if you don’t like to hand wash your dishes. Stainless steel is impermeable, which means it does not retain any odors or flavors from anything that is put in it. These are great for hot or cold drinks as they do not change shape due to change in temperature, and stainless steel is great for holding food items too.

Why is stainless steel better for your health? Let’s compare it to plastic and aluminum, the common materials used in water bottles. Many popular, inexpensive plastic water bottles contain BPA (Bisphenol-A), and studies have shown that this substance has cancer causing tendencies. Raw or uncoated aluminum food service products have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease so virtually all aluminum bottle vendors line their bottles to minimize this risk. But liners have a habit of flaking or cracking off, leaving you with the plain aluminum underneath. Those linings are also “Flavor Savors” which hold strong flavors that can’t be washed out. Meanwhile, the steel used for making stainless steel bottles is safe and does not emit any toxic substances as bottles made out of plastic and aluminum do. It does not need to be lined with anything either. It’s perfectly safe, perfectly durable, and they aren’t that expensive. Why choose anything else?